Railroad intersection.



RAILROAD INTERSECTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1917. 1,257,280. Patented Beb.19',1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. S. COBB.

.RAILROAI) INTERSECTION. I

Patenfed Feb.19.1918

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 fiw' F APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. IBIZ- E. S-COBB. RAILROAD IINTRSECT\0N. APPLlCATlON nun maize. 1911.

Patented Feb.19, 191-8.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EDWARD S. COBB, F WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD INTERSECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed March 20, 1917. Serial No. 156,024.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. COBB, a citizen of the United States, residing at- IVhittier, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad Intersections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad intersections of that general kind and character shown and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,074,082, dated September 23, 1918. In said patent I have shown and oescribed a railroad intersection mechanism in which individual rail-portions abutting, or extending between, the individual rail intersections, are made to be vertically movable; so as to make a continuous passage for either one or another of the tracks extending into or across the intersection. In said patent I have explained these rail movements, and my preferred arrangenent for effecting juncture between the stationary and movable rails. The present invention deals more particularly with improvements in the mechanism for raising and lowering the movable rails; and with variousdetails of improvement, as hereinafter pointed out.

My present invention will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred forms of mechanisms embodying the same. Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which, for the purpose of this specification, I illustrate said preferred forms of my mechanism. In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts in horizontal section, and with parts broken away, illustratin one form of my improved mechanism; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan showing the details of a single rail insection; 8 is a v rtical section taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail section taken as indicated by line on Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an elevation of the end portions of movable rail, showing its supporting beam and its cam engaging foot; Fig. 6 is a plan of the same; Fig. 7 is a horizontal section showing the parts shown in Fig. 2, the section being taken below the heads of the rails; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail section taken as indicated by line SS on Figs. 1 and S; Fig. 9 is a detail sect-ion on line 99 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a detail section on line 101O of Fig. 8; Fig. .11 is a planet another form of crossing; Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken as indicated by line 12l2 on Fig. '11, omitting the stationary rails; Fig. 13 is a horizontal plan, with parts of the inclosing box or casing broken away, to illustrate the mechanism beneath; Fig. 1 .1 is a vertical section taken as indicated by line 1414 on Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail section taken as indicated by line 1515 on Fi 13; Fig. 16 is a detail section on line 16 on Fig. 15; and Fig. 17 is a detail section on line l717 of Fig. 15.

In describing my preferred forms of crossing mechanism, I refer first to the Figs. 1 to 10 of the drawings. In these figures the numeral 10 desi nates a suitable box or casing within and upon which the crossing mechanism is mounted. The stationary rails A and B meet at the intersection in the manner, or substantially in the manner explained in my said Letters Patent; and the vertically movable rail portions A and B extend across the intersection between the individual rail intersections. The stationary rails A and B are mounted at their ends, near the individual rail intersections, upon special short supporting beams 11, preferably channel beams, placed diagonally across the corners of the box 10. Each of these beams 11 has a filler block 12 which directly supports the two rails A and B, the rails A. and B bein only indirectly and not directly supported by the beam 11. The two rails A and B are held down onto the filler block, and down to the beam 11, by the bolts 13; but these bolts do not interfere with the resilient supports of the rails upon the wooden filler block. Between the two rails A and B I place the joint bracket 15, of the general configuration illustrated particu- 9 larly in Figs. 2 and 7 and this bracket is bolted to the rails by bolts 16 and 17 and is bolted down to the beam and down onto the filler block by bolts 18; but these bolts 18 do not interfere with the resilient support of the rails upon the wooden filler block. The beam 11 is additionally secured to the box 10 by the bolts 19.

The vertically movable rails A and B are each mounted upon supporting beams 20, preferably I-beams turned With their flanges vertical; and the rail flanges 21 rest directly upon wooden filler blocks 22 supported upon the beams between the flanges thereof. Each of the vertically, movable rails has a filler and bearing block 23 on each side of its web 24; these blocks being secured to the rails by rivets or other securing means, as shown at 25. Bolts 26 serve to hold the rails down on the wooden filler blocks 22 and down to the beams 20; and these same bolts serve to secure the supporting feet 27 which bear upon and cooperate with the cams upon which the rails A. and B are supported and by which they are moved vertically. It will be seen that all of the rails, A, B, and A, B, are thus supported upon wooden supporting blocks; so that a proper resiliency of support is obtained, uniform across the crossing, and uniform to a greater or lesser extent with the standard supporting of the rails of the railroad track; so that the passage across the intersection mechanism is uniform with passage over the ordinary rails. This makes it possible to maintain high speed across the intersection without any variation whatever in the quality of support. The meetings of the two stationary rails and the two movable rails at each individual rail intersection is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 7. It will be noted that one of the stationary rails has a projecting part or block 30, and has at the back side of this projecting part certain diagonal bearing surfaces 31. Each of the movable rails has a transverse end surface 32 which bears against the end of the extending rail part 30; and each of the movable rails has diagonal surfaces 31 bearing against each other and bearing against the diagonal surfaces 31 of the stationary rails. Below the heads of the several rails, these several bearing surfaces are continued on downwardly by the provision of filler blocks 33 on the stationary rails and the provision of the filler blocks 23 on the movable rails. The filler blocks 23 have diagonal surfaces 31 which form continuations of the surfaces 31 on the heads of the rails; and the filler blocks 33 have parts 30 which form downward extensions of the extension 30 of one of the stationary rails (the rail A in Figs. 2 and 7). The whole arrangement is such that the end to end bearing surfaces of the movable and stationary rails, both the transverse surfaces and the diagonal surfaces, extend vertically throughout practically the total height of the rails; with the result that the vertically movable rails are very rigidly held in their proper positions and in correct alinement, without any liability whatever of being moved out of place by side thrust. It will be noted that the flanges 21 of the movable rails and the flanges 21 of the stationary rails are also ended on vertical diagonal planes 31 so that the inter-engagement of these diagonal planes also aid in holding the rails in proper and correct alinement and position. Except in details of construction, this meeting of the stationary and movable rails is substantially the same as described in my said Letters Patent.

I now proceed to a detailed description of the mechanism for moving the vertically movable rails and for sun aortin them.

Upon each individual rail intersection I place a diagonal cam shaft 40, mounted in bearings 41 and carrying a beveled gear 38 meshing with gear 39 on driving shaft 44 of which gears 39 there are four one mounted upon each end of the two driving shafts 44. The two driving sha' ts 44 are rotatively connected together by crossed chains 45, so that the two shafts 44 will rotate equally in opposite direction; and one of these shafts 44 may be driven by any suitable driving connection, as by the chain drive illustrated at 46. In the operation of the mechanism, the two shafts 44 are rotated back and forth through something less than a full revolution, as are thus also the cam shafts 40. Each of the cam shafts 40 carries a pair of rail-operating cams 42 and 43, set upon the shaft 40 in the relative positions shown in Figs. 3, 8, 9, and 10. These cams are so shaped, and in such relative position, that when the cam shafts are in one position, then the cams 42 are thrown to such position as to raise the supporting beams 27 bearing upon them and to therefore raise the movable rail portions supported upon said supporting beams. For instance, in the drawings, the rails A are shown raised; the cams being in such position as to raise that rail; while the rails B are shown lowered, the cams 43 being in position to lower those rails. It will be seen, from an inspection of Figs. 9 and 10, that it requires somewhat less than a whole revolution of the cam shaft 40 to throw the cams from one position to the other.

Each of the cams 42 and 43 has an undercut as shown at 45 extending around its pe riphery on one side; and each of the rail supporting feet 27 has a lug 46 extending in under the undercut 45; so that the lug and the undercut perform the function of pulling the feet 27, and the connected rails, down to their lower positions. When the feet 27 are up, then their upper surfaces bear upwardly against the lower surfaces of the beams 11. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The upward movements of the rails are thus limited. When the rails are in their upper positions, they are held rigidly and tightly against lateral motion, in the manner hereinbefore explained; and they are held against vertical motion, either down or up, by the holding of the feet 27 between the cams and the undersurfaces of the beams 11.

A distinctive feature of this construction is the use of two cams situated beneath each individual rail intersection, the two cams being mountedupon one and the same shaft. This feature is also present in the variant form of my crossing, to be hereinafter described. It is a. specific feature of thespecific form of crossing just described that the cam shafts are placed in diagonal positions beneath the rail intersection; and this particular form of intersection lends itself very readily to crossings and intersections which are not at right angles. The adaptation of this mechanism to an acute angled crossing is merely a matter of proper placement of the cam shafts and cams and the proper corresponding placement of the feet 27.

In Figs. 11 to 15 I have illustrated a variant form of crossing mechanism. The primary distinction of this form, as compared with the form just described, is that here the rail supporting and operating cams are mounted upon two shafts which are arranged beneath one pair of movable rail portions; but there are still two cams mounted directly under each individual rail intersection, said two cams being both mounted upon one and the same shaft. I utilize a suitable boX base, as shown at 50; and the ends of the stationary rails A and B may be mounted upon this boX. The junctures between the stationary rails A and B and the movable rails A and B are substantially the same as hereinbefore described, involving the same kind of transverse and diagonal meeting planes and involving the same kind of locking of the movable rail portions in place against lateral displacement. The movable rails A and B are preferably here made up of rail heads and flanges 48 and 49, set in and carried by beams 51 and 52, having cam engaging feet 53 and 54; at their opposite ends adapted to rest upon and cotinerate with cams 55 and 56, respectivel which are mounted in pairs, one pair upon each end of the two cam shafts 57. These cam shafts 57 are supported in bearings 58 beneath two of the movable rails (the rails B, in this instance) and they may be rotatively interconnected by cross chains 60, so that they will rotate equally in opposite directions, and one of the shafts may be driven by any suitable driving means, as by the chain 61. The

cams 55 and 56 are placed upon the shaftsv 57 in the relative positions indicated and shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 17; and it will be seen, by reference to these figures, that it requires somewhat less than a whole revolution of the cam shafts to turn the cams to move one set of rails down and the other set up, The cams 55 and 56are substantially the same as the cams-described in the form of mechanism herein first described; and each of the bearing feet 53 and 54: has a lug which enters into van undercut 66 on the cam, to draw the feet, and therailportions A and B, downwardly. When the. railsare in their uppermost positions, then they arestopped from further upward movement by the engagement of. upwardly facing shoulders 67 bearing upwardly against the under surfaces of the stationary rails. These upwardly facin shoulders 67 project beyond the main end surfaces 68 of the movable rails, as is most clearly shown in, Figs. 13 and 14; and they are so positioned that, when the movable rails are moved to their upper positions where. they make smooth continuations of the stationary rails, then these shoulders 67 bear tightly upwardly against the under surfaces of the stationary rails. This is best shown as indicated in Fig. 15, where the shoulder 67 of the rail A is shown up against the under surface of the stationary rail B, and the shoulder 67 of the movable rail B is shown lowered from such position.

The following claims are directed tothe mechanisms herein shown and described. These mechanisms are also described and illustrated in my application S. N. 111,563, filed Aug. 12, 1916, on crossing operating systems; but the claims in that case are directed to the system of operation of crossings and not to these particular intersection mechanisms. One of the forms of mechanism herein shown (the form of Figs. 11 15) is also shown in my application S. N. 60,184, filed November 8, 1915, for operating mechanisms for crossings; but the claims in that case are restricted to operating mechanisms or devices and are not directed to the intersection or crossing construction itself.

Having described a preferred form ofmy invention, 1 claim:

1. A railroad intersection, comprising two intersecting pairs of parallel rails with each rail terminating at its intersection with a rail of another pair, pairs of vertically movable members adapted to be raised to form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, and means embodying a pair of rotating cams under each.

individual rail intersection to raise and lower the vertically movable members.

2. A railroad intersection, comprising twointersecting pairs of parallel rails with each rail terminating at its intersection vith a rail of another pair,'single rail sections extending between the individual rail intersections and vertically movable to form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, and means embodying a pair of rotating cams under each individual railintersection to raise andlower the vertically movable rails.

3. A railroad intersection, comprising two intersecting pairs of each rail terminating at its intersection with a railof another pair, single railsections extending between the individual. rail intersections and vertically movable to parallel rails, with form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, cam shafts placed diagonally one under each individual rail intersection, and a pair of cams on each shaft engaging one with each of the vertically movable rails at that intersection.

4:. A railroad intersection, comprising two intersecting pairs of parallel rails, with each rail terminating at its intersection with a rail of another pair, single rail sections extending between the individual rail intersections and vertically movable to form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, cam shafts beneath the rails and the rail intersections, and pairs of cams carried on said shafts, one pair beneath each of the rail intersections engaging one with each of the vertically movable rails at that point.

5. A railroad intersection, comprising two intersecting pairs of parallel rails with each rail terminating at its intersection with a rail of another pair, pairs of vertically movable members adapted to be raised to form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, cam shafts placed diagonally one under each individual rail intersection, and a pair of cams on each shaft engaging one with each of the vertically movable members at that intersection.

6. A railroad intersection, comprising two intersecting pairs of parallel rails with each rail terminating at its intersection with a rail of another pair, pairs of vertically movable members adapted to be raised to form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, cam shafts beneath the rails and the rail intersections, and pairs of cams carried on said shafts, one pair beneath each of the rail intersections engaging one with each of the vertically movable members at that point.

7 A railroad intersection, comprising a stationary rail supporting structure, intersecting pairs of parallel rails supported on said structure, downwardly facing shoulders incorporated in the structure, vertically movable members adapted to form continuations of the intersecting rails, means to move said members, and upwardly facing shoulders in connection with said members adapted to be forced up against the downwardly facing shoulders to stop the upward movements of said members.

8. A railroad intersection, comprising a stationary rail supporting structure, intersecting pairs of parallel rails supported on said structure, downwardly facing shoulders incorporated in the structure, vertically movable members adapted to form continuations of the intersecting rails, cam means beneath said members adapted to move them vertically and to force them up to their rail continuing positions, and upwardly facing shoulders in connection with the movable members adapted to bear upwardly against the downwardly facing shoulders, so that the members may be locked in position between the said downwardly facing shoulders and the cams.

9. A railroad intersection, comprising two intersecting pairs of parallel rails, with each rail terminating at its intersection with a rail of another pair, single rail sections extending between the individual rail intersections and vertically movable to form continuations of the rails of either of the intersecting tracks, cam shafts placed diagonally one under each individual rail intersection, and a pair of cams on each shaft engaging one with each of the vertically movable rails at that intersection, a stationary downwardly facing surface at each of the inclividual rail intersections, and upwardly facing surfaces in connection with the vertically movable rails adapted to bear upwardly against the downwardly facing surfaces when the rails are raised by the cams.

10. A railroad intersection, comprising a stationary rail supporting structure, stationary rail supporting structure, stationary rail supporting beams extending diagonally across the corners of the structure, intersecting pairs of rails resting at their intersections on the rail supporting beams, vertically movable rails extending between the individual rail intersections, supporting beams for said movable rails, cam engaging feet on said beams, said feet having upper surfaces adapted to bear upwardly against the stationary rail supporting beams when the movable rails are in their upper positions, and cams to raise said feet.

11. A railroad intersection, comprising a stationary rail supporting structure, stationary rail supporting beams extending diagonally across the corners of the structure, in tersecting pairs of rails resting at their intersections on the rail supporting beams, vertically movable rails extending between the individual rail intersections, supporting beams for said movable rails, cam engagingfeet on said beams, said feet having upper surfaces adapted to bear upwardly against the stationary rail supporting beams when the movable rails are in their upper positions, and cam means to raise and lower said feet.

12. A railroad intersection, comprising a stationary rail supporting structure, stationary rail supporting beams extending diagonally across the corners of the structure, intersecting pairs of rails resting at their intersections on the rail supporting beams, vertically movable rails extending between the individual rail intersections, supporting beams for said movable rails, cam engaging feet on said beams, said feet having upper surfaces adapted to bear upwardly against the stationary rail supporting beams when the movable rails are in their upper positions, and cams to raise said feet, said stationary rail supporting beams each embodying a metal beam and a wooden filler block upon which block the rails rest, and said movable rail supporting beams each embodying a metal beam extending longitudinally beneath the rails and a wooden filler block directly supporting the rail. 7

13. In a railroad intersection, the combination of a stationary rail supporting structure embodying resilient supports for the stationary rails, intersecting pairs of stationary rails resting at their intersections on said resilient supports, vertically movable members adapted to form continuations of said rails, and means to move and support said movable members embodying resilient supporting means for said members.

1%. In a railroad intersection, the combination of a stationary rail supporting structure embodying wooden supports, intersecting pairs of stationary rails resting at their intersections on said wooden supports, verti- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the cally movable rails extending between the rail intersections, and means to support and move said movable rails embodying wooden supporting means to give the movable rails a support uniform with that of the stationary rails.

15. In a railroad intersection, the combination of a stationary rail supporting structure embodying wooden supports, intersecting pairs of stationary rails resting at their intersections on said wooden supports, vertically movable rails extending between the rail intersections, and means to move and support said movable rails, embodying metal beams beneath the rails, wooden blocks in said beams supporting the movable rails, cam means acting on the metal beams to raise and lower the movable rails, and stop means acting on the metal beams to limit the upward movements of the movable rails.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of February 1917.

EDWARD S. COBB.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

